Push-up plank is a highly effective exercise that targets and strengthens your core muscles, particularly the abdominals and lower back. It also engages other major muscle groups including the chest, shoulders, and arms. This exercise is a variation of the traditional push-up, with the added challenge of holding a static plank position. In this article, we will guide you on how to perform a push-up plank correctly, the benefits it offers, and how to incorporate it into your fitness routine.
Starting position: Begin by positioning yourself face down on a mat or the floor. Place your palms firmly on the ground, directly under your shoulders. Extend your legs straight out behind you, keeping your toes touching the floor.
Executing the exercise: Push your body up off the floor by extending your arms fully, while keeping your body straight and rigid. Engage your core muscles by contracting your abdominals and squeezing your glutes. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels.
Hold the position: Maintain this position for as long as possible without letting your hips sag or your lower back arch excessively. Keep your gaze forward, avoiding looking down or up. Breathe deeply and evenly throughout the exercise.
Returning to starting position: When you are ready to finish, slowly lower your body back down to the starting position, keeping your movements controlled and precise.
Core strengthening: Push-up plank primarily targets the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques. By engaging these muscles, you can improve your posture, stability, and overall core strength.
Upper body development: This exercise also works the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and arms. By performing push-up planks regularly, you can increase your upper body strength, resulting in improved pushing and pulling movements.
Improved stability and balance: Holding a stable plank position requires you to activate your deep core muscles and maintain proper alignment. By doing so, you can enhance your overall stability and balance, which can benefit your performance in other exercises and daily activities.
Injury prevention: Strengthening the core and upper body can help protect you from injuries, especially those related to the lower back and shoulders. Strong core muscles act as a natural corset to support your spine, while strong shoulders and arms assist in maintaining proper alignment during movements.
Time-efficient workout: The push-up plank exercise effectively engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making it a time-efficient exercise option. By incorporating push-up planks into your routine, you can maximize your workout efficiency and target various muscle groups simultaneously.
Proper form is key: Focus on maintaining a straight line from head to heels throughout the exercise. Avoid sinking your hips or letting your lower back sag. Engage your core muscles to provide stability and prevent excessive strain on your back.
Start with modified versions: If you are new to push-up planks, start by performing the exercise with your knees on the ground. This modified version will help you build strength and gradually progress to the full push-up plank.
Controlled breathing: Remember to breathe deeply and evenly while holding the position. Avoid holding your breath, as it can lead to unnecessary tension and fatigue.
Gradually increase duration: Begin by holding the push-up plank for a comfortable amount of time, and gradually increase the duration as your strength improves. Aim for 30-60 seconds initially, and challenge yourself to hold the position for longer as you progress.
Push-up planks can be incorporated into your current fitness routine in various ways:
Warm-up: Use push-up planks as part of your warm-up routine to activate your core muscles and prepare your upper body for more demanding exercises.
Strength training: Include push-up planks in your strength training routine to target your core, chest, shoulders, and arms. Perform multiple sets with short rest periods between each set to maximize muscle engagement.
Circuit training: Incorporate push-up planks into a circuit training workout, alternating them with other exercises targeting different muscle groups. This method allows you to work your entire body and maintain an elevated heart rate.
Challenge yourself: As you become more proficient in the exercise, you can increase the difficulty by elevating your feet on a bench or using stability equipment, such as a stability ball or Bosu ball.
Push-up plank is a versatile exercise that offers numerous benefits for your core and upper body strength, stability, and overall fitness. By consistently incorporating this exercise into your fitness routine and progressing gradually, you can experience improved muscle tone, increased strength, and better overall body control. Remember to maintain proper form, focus on breathing, and gradually challenge yourself to reach new personal bests.
If you're looking for a gym, fitness club or yoga studio, you've come to the right place.
You can find information about gyms in your area. Browse catalog of gyms and find gyms with classes which are you looking for.
On gym page you can find simple information like address, phone or website. You can find list of available classes. You can check availability of personal training or small group classes. On place page you can also see information about open hours.
You can find gyms near you with amenities, courts, studios and equipments.
Use our map to find gym at your city or district.
In Gym Navigator you can find list of exercises with movies for many body parts.
You can browse exercises catalog and find exercises the best of you.
You can also find exercises grouped into workout plans, which you can use to improve you body. Each routine show you exercises one by one and give you possibility to count you progress and count down rest time.